All Asia: South & Central
- India's 'human safaris' banned, as fight for tribal rights goes onIndia finally halted the practice of allowing tourists to ogle the native tribes of a secluded Island in the Andaman Islands. But with a growing tourism industry there, the battle might not be over.
Out of the sheds: Women fight segregation in rural NepalFor generations, the custom of chaupadi forced menstruating women to sleep outside of their homes in small sheds or in the family stable.
Pakistan textbooks raise debate about 'curriculum of hate'Government-sanctioned textbooks across Pakistan contain numerous examples of anti-minority and anti-Western language, prompting activists to encourage teachers to stop using them.
Afghan president orders US troops out of volatile province on Kabul's flankPresident Hamid Karzai has asked US Special Forces to leave Wardak Province, raising concerns about how security might be affected in Afghanistan's capital city.
For some Indians, latest bombing brings sense of déjà vuSuleman Sultan, a survivor of a blast almost identical to the recent attack in Hyderabad, says the government's response is following the same old script.
India to investigate Hyderabad bomb blasts, eyes the Indian Mujahideen ... againBut as India investigates the Hyderabad bomb blasts, analysts are highlighting India's past failure to crack terrorism cases.
For India's 'untouchables,' a rare moment of inclusionIn a major break from caste system constraints, some of India's Brahmins welcomed a group of India's lowest ranking members to join a Hindu ritual historically closed to them.- Pakistan announces operation after bombing, but is it just for show?The Pakistani government announced a security operation against those responsible for the bombing that killed at least 89 people over the weekend and set off three days of protests.
India-controlled Kashmir seethes as curfew extends to seventh dayThe curfew follows the secret execution of a Kashmiri man convicted for his role in a 2001 attack on India's parliament. The execution and India's crackdown have sparked talk of renewed unrest in Kashmir.
Massive protest movement emerges against Islamists in BangladeshA protest that has at times swelled into the hundreds of thousands entered its ninth day today in Bangladesh’s capital, touched off by the outcome of a war crimes trial.- Afghans flock to India for infertility treatmentNew Delhi already has a sizeable Afghan community, but over the past five years a steady trickle of visitors seeking healthcare has grown into a flood. Hospitals have been quick to respond.
Indian execution sparks protests, accusations of politicsIndia today executed Mohammad Afzal Guru, a convict in the 2001 terrorist attack on the Indian Parliament.- Boy and Girl Scouts in Afghanistan?An Afghan charity has worked to rejuvenate Afghanistan's coed Scouting program. It has 2,000 Scouts and more than 100 Scout leaders spread around the county.
Can India sweep up its 'soot' pollution challenge?India is among the biggest emitters of black carbon, from the use of coal and wood for cooking and heating and from a rising number of cars on the road.
To curb rape, Muslim group calls for end to co-ed schools in IndiaMany Muslims are rejecting the suggestion made by Jamaat-e-Islami Hind and argue that it runs counter to recent trends in the Indian Muslim community.- Pakistan opposition take aim at energy crisis ahead of electionsThe opposition is slamming the government, claiming there's an easy solution to energy shortages: Pakistan is sitting on the world’s sixth-largest coal deposit.
- Pakistan's Balochistan: Minerals, militants, and meddlingFive points to understand about Pakistan's restive Balochistan Province.
Pakistani Taliban enter fray around strategic NATO routesFighting between rival militant groups near the Khyber Pass has reportedly claimed more than 70 lives over the past week.
FocusBeyond rape trial, a bigger question about women's status in IndiaCourt proceedings began today for five of the men accused in the deadly gang rape of a young woman in Delhi that led to her recent death.
Pakistan protest march ends: Who won?Islamabad has brokered an end to a protest challenging its rule. Though demonstrators declared victory, the agreement did not meet their public demands.
